smissed the subject and appeared to attach no
importance whatever to it; but Doria's mood was altered. He became
less expansive and more alert.

"We'll turn now," announced Peter half an hour afterwards. "You're
a smart lad and you've given me a bright thought or two. We must
lecture Mark. It may be better for you, as her husband, to pretend a
bit, even though you don't feel it. Let me know privately when Mrs.
Doria is for the hills."

He stopped, kept his eye on Giuseppe and took a pinch of snuff.

"Maybe we'll get a move on to-morrow," he said.

Doria, now self-possessed but fallen taciturn, smiled at him and his
white teeth shone through the gloom.

"Of to-morrow nobody is sure," he answered. "The man who knows what
is to happen to-morrow would rule the world."

"I'm hopeful of to-morrow all the same."

"A detective must be hopeful," answered Giuseppe. "So often hope is
all that he has got."

Chaffing each other amiably they returned together.

CHAPTER XVI

THE LAST OF THE REDMAYNES

For the night immediately following Doria's experience at the old
shrine, Albert Redmayne and his friend, Virgilio Poggi, had accepted
Mark Brendon's invitation to dine at the Hotel Victoria, where he
still stayed. Ganns was responsible for the suggestion, and while he
knew now that Giuseppe might view the festivity with suspicion, that
mattered but little at this crisis.

His purpose in arranging to get Albert Redmayne away from home on
this particular night was twofold. It was necessary that Peter
himself should see Mark Brendon without interruption; and it was
vital that henceforth his friend, the old book lover, should never
for an instant lie within the power of any enemy to do him ill. In
order, therefore, that he might enjoy private conversation with
Brendon and, at the same time, keep a close watch upon Albert, Ganns
had proposed the dinner party at the hotel and directed Brendon to
issue the invitation as soon as Redmayne returned home.

Wholly unsuspicious, Signor Poggi and Albert appeared in the glory
of soft white shirt fronts and rather rusty evening black. A special
meal was prepared for their pleasure and the four partook of it in
a private chamber at the hotel. Then they adjourned to the
smoking-room, and anon, when Poggi and his companion were deep in
their all-sufficing subject, Peter, a few yards distant with Mark
beside him, related the incident of Giuseppe's ghost.

"You did the trick to a